“Holding back tears” – Dana White’s reaction after Magomed Ankalaev beats Alex Pereira at UFC 313 has fans in splits

UFC CEO Dana White has a unique reaction to Alex Pereira’s light heavyweight title loss to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313.

“Holding back tears” – Dana White’s reaction after Magomed Ankalaev beats Alex Pereira at UFC 313 has fans in splits

Dana White’s biggest superstar, Alex Pereira, loses to Magomed Ankalaev (via X)

Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev locked horns last night at the T-Mobile Arena in the main event of UFC 313. Ankalaev stunned fans by defeating Pereira in a grueling five-round battle via unanimous decision. The Russian’s victory came as a surprise to many, defying expectations during the highly anticipated pay-per-view showdown.

Going into the fight, Ankalaev was the underdog, but many experts believed his wrestling could be a real threat to the Brazilian. On the contrary, Pereira was able to stuff all the takedowns attempted by the challenger. However, it was the pressure and striking from Ankalaev which turned out to be the game changer.

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Unlike most of his fights where he is the aggressor, Pereira spent most of his time backing out against the Russian. He did manage to land some shots in the middle rounds, but it wasn’t enough. After five rounds, judges gave it 49-46, 48-47 and 48-47 for Ankalaev. 

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In the past, fans have seen Pereira struggling in the early rounds, but ultimately coming back due to his knockout power. However, this time, the UFC superstar didn’t get a clear opportunity to land his iconic left hook. The arena was filled with Pereira’s fans who were definitely not happy with the result and made sure to show their disappointment with booes.

Fight fans react to Dana White’s reaction to Alex Pereira losing his light heavyweight title to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313

Magomed Ankalaev came close to winning the belt back in 2022, but he has finally achieved it now. Alex Pereira’s title reign as the light heavyweight champion lasted for three fights. The Brazilian fighter has mentioned that he hasn’t lost motivation and will keep on training. 

Alex Pereira losses to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313
Alex Pereira losses to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 (via X)

Despite the loss, fans are excited about what’s next for Pereira. An immediate rematch or potential move to the heavyweight division, anything is possible. For Dana White, however, this could be a major upset. Nevertheless, here are some reactions from Pereira’s loss.

In the last few years, Alex Pereira has established himself as the biggest pay-per-view star in the UFC. The Brazilian fighter has consistently delivered entertaining bouts, and UFC CEO White was highly impressed by him. As expected, many fans pointed out White’s disappointing reaction after Pereira’s loss.

Related: UFC Top 5 ‘Knockouts of the Year’ 2024